The 2017 Global Developer Hiring Landscape

What if you could spend a day in a developer's shoes? You could learn what their typical day looks like, what makes them respond to a recruiting email, and how their working style is different than other co-workers. While we can't wave a magic wand and make that happen for you, we can provide you with data to help you understand and recruit developers more effectively.

Each year, we survey the programming community on topics ranging from their favorite technologies to what they look for in a new job. This year, over 64,000 respondents from 213 countries and territories participated, making it the world’s largest developer survey.

Developers are in high demand, and you're not the only company looking for their next technical hire. The majority of developers are employed in some capacity- whether it's full-time, part-time, or as an independent contractor/freelancer/self-employed developer. This brings us to our next interesting developer hiring statistic...

62% of developers are open to new job opportunities, while an additional 13% are actively looking. [Tweet This]

With almost two-thirds of developers falling into the "passive candidate" bucket, it's more important than ever for employers to reach that audience. Instead of just waiting around for active candidate to find your open job (if only life were that easy, right?), alter your developer hiring strategy to focus on those passive candidates. Instead of mass-posting to generic job boards, focus on forming relationships, conveying your employer brand, and perfecting your targeted outreach.

This number increased by 21% since last year's results, showcasing the importance of ongoing learning and education in a developer's life. Those who reported being self-taught said they taught themselves through a variety of mediums, including reading up on official documentation, participating in Stack Overflow Q&A, and reading a trade book.

Now is a good of a time as ever to revisit your compensation plans, benefits packages, and even your employee growth programs. A happy developer is more likely not only to stay at your current company, but also recommend it to their friends and networks.